TN: 1999 Thunder Mountain Cabernet, Bates Ranch. WOW!!

[Rich_Brown]

Rob

That’s interesting on the American oak. I’ve had quite a few aged thunder mountains, and while they’ve aged quite gracefully I find them all very strong in dill flavor, which I don’t love in Cabernet. The use of American oak could/probably does explain this.

Very interesting Clayton - I did not get any dill on this wine (maybe some slight herbal notes in addition to the tobacco), but will report back on the next one that I open. Cheers!

[Rich_Brown]

A top 5 cab for me ever. It was seriously that good!! And extra point for the label

Rich,
It was fun to see your post here about the Thunder Mountain Bates Ranch. We’ve had some great ones over the years and the labels always bring a smile to the tasters. Thunder Mountain winery was run by Proprietor/Winemaker Milan Maximovich who in 90s and early 00s made some delicious and gracefully aging wines, most from the Santa Cruz Mountains and some from the Cienega Valley and beyond. Interestingly, he used both French and American oak barrels for his cabs. I’m glad it showed well for as they can be great! And Bates Ranch is an special site that has yielding stunning Mountain Cabernet that age for decades going back to the late 70s.


In 2017 my tasting group, Vinum Obscurum, put together a Bates retrospective. We sent some emails to winemakers who had made it over the years and we ended up having Charlie Bates (Bates Ranch Owner) along with Dex and Val Ahlgren (Ahlgren Winery), Cole Thomas (Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards), and several others that had one time or another worked with or helped farm Bates Ranch attend. It was fun to hear of the deep history of Bates and all kind of stories including one about a visit by Robert Kennedy and family where young Charlie got into a fight with one of the Kennedy boys over a thumb stuck in a hamburger. We blinded a flight of over a dozen Bates wines from five different decades and had all rank the wines. The '97 Thunder Mountain Bates was the highest ranked wine with the Ahlgren '85 right behind.

Soon after this tasting, I approached Charlie about getting Bates Ranch Cabernet for our then nascent winery. He graciously offered us grapes from the old vine block in 2017 and we’ve been making a Bates Ranch Cabernet every year since.



Bates retrostpective Lineup.jpeg

That’s awesome Rob - what a killer tasting! I’ll definitkey have to look into your wines

[RobB]

I’m not sure whether this 1999 is from the vines at the top of the vineyard (of which there are only a few rows left) ore the stagecoach vineyard at the base of the property. Any insight Rob? Jeff Emery was always partial to the vines at the top of the vineyard, but they’re carrying much more disease and with some of the farming progress Prudy Foxx has made on the stagecoach block, it produces pretty exceptional fruit now.

Great question Ian - I’m not sure. We’ll have to ask Charlie Bates or Nick who has been the vineyard manager since the Thunder Mountain days.

[Larry_Stein]

I attended Rob’s Bates Ranch retrospective. I had drunk a few of those wines back in the day. Revisiting and tasting new ones (for me) was educational and fun. Hearing the Ahlgrens and Charlie Bates talk about the history was the proverbial icing on the cake.

Although we haven’t seen each other for several years, I’m a friend of Milan’s daughter and her husband. First time I met Milan was at my very first offline. He brought a 3L bottle of 1994 Dusi Ranch Zin. He made this before Thunder Mountain became a bonded winery. It was pretty amazing.

[Evan_K]

Finally got around to a '97 Doc Miller last night. It was lovely from the jump (I popped & poured) – red-fruited, and a bit of earthiness on the nose with cherry, cranberry, and rhubarb on the palate. 13.7% alcohol and at no point felt ponderous. I think I preferred this bottle to the Bates I had a couple months ago, but I’ll have to try them side-by-side to be certain.

[Rich_Brown]

Finally got around to a '97 Doc Miller last night. It was lovely from the jump (I popped & poured) – red-fruited, and a bit of earthiness on the nose with cherry, cranberry, and rhubarb on the palate. 13.7% alcohol and at no point felt ponderous. I think I preferred this bottle to the Bates I had a couple months ago, but I’ll have to try them side-by-side to be certain.

Nice work!! I also have a 99 Doc Miller and that is a great idea to try it side by side with the Bates! I’ll look to make that happen sooner than later

[DanM]

Had a 1996 Thunder Mountain Star Ruby Bates Ranch a few nights ago that was drinking very well indeed.

1996 Thunder Mountain Star Ruby Bates Ranch

[Rich_Brown]

@DanM

Had a 1996 Thunder Mountain Star Ruby Bates Ranch a few nights ago that was drinking very well indeed.

1996 Thunder Mountain Star Ruby Bates Ranch

Welcome to Wineberserkers Dan!

And kicking off your 1st post with a 96 Thunder Mountain Ruby cab note!?! Well done buddy - you’re going to fit in just fine around here

Looks like i have one of these in the cellar as well, so I really appreciate the update!

[Vincent_Fritzsche]

Drank up all my TMs some years ago now but delicious wines, Milan in Santa Cruz was an early winemaking inspiration for me. The ‘95 Bates Ranch was my introduction and phenomenal in its youth. Never had any in the cellar. I remember loving older Alghren bottlings years ago. Interesting that Ashes and Diamonds makes Bates, will seek that out.

[Dave_McIsaac]

As does Rob at Sandar & Hem